Millicent Young, daughter of Mrs Mary Elsdon, of 4 Westbourne Road, Luton, had been a clerk at the George Kent Ltd munitions works in Biscot Road until May 1917. She had married Sgt Walter Russell Young, of the Beds Regiment, at Christ Church on Valentine's Day (February 14th, 1917). In July 1917 she was the first girl from Luton to be serving in France with the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. Her husband, the son of James Young, of 149 Dallow Road, had meanwhile been drafted to Mesopotamia.
In a letter home Millicent said that on arrival in France she first stayed in a deserted hotel. She had met several Biscot boys and others who from time to time had been billeted in Luton.
Her office hours with the W.A.A.C. were 9am to 6pm, and after that the girls had quite a good time. She described the pleasure of the evening leisure - dances in the mess, whist drives and concerts in the YMCA, forming part of the entertainment.
In September she had an experience which necessitated removal to hospital. She wrote: "Several of us were walking home from Boulogne one evening. I was on the outside and I can just remember a push in the back and then no more until I found myself in hospital.
"Those who were with me said said a motor ambulance came along at a terrific rate and sent me spinning for over 20 yards. My face and leg were rather badly cut and grazed, and the shock has upset me, especially as it came on top of a week of bad air raids. Several girls are here with wounds and shell shock. I shall be glad when I can walk without limping, for all the boys are always yelling out, 'Got a Blighty one, Miss?'
"During a terrific bombardment the other night, when we did not know but what minute would be our last, half of the girls were singing 'Tennessee' and the other half 'Nearer My God to Thee'. Some officers outside were singing 'Blighty' and 'The End of a Perfect Day'. I can tell you we are all thankful to be alive."
Hearing of rumours prevalent in regard to the treatment of the girls of the W.A.A.C., Millicent Young (pictured right) sent the the following letter to The Luton News:
"I have heard from several sources that certain people in Luton are spreading utterly untrue tales of the way the members of the W.A.A.C. are being ill-treated in France. Having been with the Corps myself as a clerk for three months, I would like to contradict these people through your paper, if I may.
"We certainly do not lead a life of luxury out here, nor of extreme comfort, but we do not expect it. We came out to work, to release more men for the firing line, and, incidentally, do our best to hasten the day of peace. It would be very difficult to find a discontented girl amongst the crowd out here.
"We do our work as well as possible through the day, and in the evenings we get up various entertainments to which we invite British Tommies from the corps near by. Sometimes, of course, we all get a touch of home-sickness, but then we think of the boys in the trenches and all the discomforts they are having to put up with, and we can realise more than those at home what they are having to suffer, and yet they continue to smile.
"We have a roof to cover us, a bed to sleep in, enough to eat, and plenty of cheerful company. What more could we desire? I can tell you after a hard day's work in the office we are quite ready for our 'bully and biscuits' and our beds, even though we have no soft sheets.
"If only those people would rouse up and, instead of abusing the people who are trying to do their little bit, come out and help. They would not be wasting their time. It is up to everybody nowadays to exercise a little self-sacrifice and to help on the victory.
"There are over 2,000 W.A.A.C.s out here now, and for every four women clerks, three men have been released for the line. I can tell you I am proud to be able to say that I am One of the W.A.A.C."
Walter and Millicent both survived the war and in 1920 emigrated to America, where they spent the rest of their lives. Millicent's widowed mother died at her Westbourne Road home on October 26th, 1918, at the age of 53.
[The Luton News: October 18th, 1917]